hello mopers,, if you've ever dreamed of owning your own business
In love movie memorabilia I thought I'd tell you how I get it
As I'm still doing the same things again in the start
Justin 2000 after a bitter divorce Paying off a bunch of personal data
I had to do it all again
But I was older Had some health issues
But I always told people I learned some new skillsFrom adversity
I call myself the chaos management expert
In 2000 The factory portion of my building Which I call the Black Maria
In honor of Thomas Edison
It was a lean two Paint booth Attached to my three car garage In that
little paint booth
I painted over a half 1 million Sticks For my clapboards
It was definitely not OSHA approved
But it was just me In lacquer fumes
People use to laugh at me when I said I work from Walt Disney
They Say what are you doing Tom???
Only order for Disney
They said that would be cool wouldn't it
I was doing in order for Disney
So if you want to open a retail store
The first thing I would suggest is
Savo up Some starter cash flow Or get a bank loan
I just saved inventory in the garage With the wish and dream
No bank financing.. My ex-wife head$7000 From her mother's death
We Use that as a down payment on the building That was $50,000
Refinanced it on land contract With Mr. and Mrs. Van gunten Who were
just the second owners of the buildingFrom an Englishman..
I remember telling my ex-wife We're never going to make it
Because we had no cash flow reserves We didn't even have a cash register
Instead we had a bicycle change like a paperboy with use..And it was
stolen like her first week open
So I had my inventory from my garage Thousands of magazines, Comics, 90
small box of folding one sheets in the box
And lobby cards,,But somehow we made it throughFirst week And with
profits
I would just reinvest and start allover again Buy bulk deals And serve
customers
In order to get credit Which is called terms
You have to build by Track record They want your banks nameIn three or
four trade references of people that you buy from Then they will extend
you terms of 30 days in which to pay
Problem isIf you're buying your rack of posters Fact that it was around
thousand bucks
They would amortize the cost of the rack Say $3-$500 IntoThe poster
order And they would offset it with product
Or posters You would have to by like 12 to 20
On the title of the poster The odds of selling that many posters Within
the entire rackIs usually impossible
But my theory was we would make up Like a grocery store chain does loss
leaders
In other words As we kept adding items Eventually Start making a profit
And You also have to consider advertising I started advertising
primarily mail-order
movie magazines In movie collector papers,Like the Big
reel----,,Classic images, Don't collectors world, Which becameMovie
collectors world,Starlog, The toy shop, Comic buyers guide,Premier movie
Magazine,Box office magazine
And many other international distributors Related magazines..
Occasionally I could do tradeout For a product..As many of the companies
wanted to use my stuff for promotional use
Are remember the kindness of John Kisch Advertising in his posterior
price almanac That was the classiest book I ever saw on Movie poster
prices Besides my head in the Toledo Blade newspaper That went out to
300,000 subscribers
I advertised on TV Locally the NBC affiliate Bought spots on the David
Letterman show The first week he was an open
And also on the Johnny Carson show Tonight Show PlusI gave them
blanketOrders to give me ads on anything they could squeeze me intoFor
my budget///I advertised Couple hundred thousand dollars Justin local
print
Television and radio In numerous FlyersIn the light
I suggest You start small We used to go and put flyers on peoples cars
at the movie theaters And it universities
Is my experience as a promotion man Was get out the word to as many
locations as possible
That's why I still believe an old school promotion
The original wild posters Oh circus Going back to BC
Use posters Same as the wanted posters out last Anywhere they cut
So I just looked at the demographics of my city
Then one day The guy who was poster wholesaler In Detroit
Said how would you like to put up concert posters in movie posters To
promote films
I got paid to put them up In like 10 to 20 visual locations in a very
Dark area of Detroit
The company was owned partially by Bob Dylan From Los Angeles..The
studios would send me a huge box is full of one sheet Plus they did CBS
records an the concert venue pine now..I was paid $1500 to do that
Plus I got to keep all the posters that were left over Which I could
trade with other posterior dealers Expand my inventory
I did primarily Canon films,Tri-Star films In Columbia films,,So I got
Chuck Norris movies Like missing in action
To give you a timeframe The concert posters were window cards I still
have a few left from the SantanaConcert
And Dan Fogelberg And someRap groups From the 80s
I did like three sheets for Madonna's true blue album
So getting good contactsWith fellow dealers is the network
I was told I was accepted in the posterior mafia..Guys how you develop
contacts
Any industry That is very close It Is by being honest And helping
everyone
That to me would be one of the main components And reasons why am still
in business today
People can forgive you for being ignorant,For not being the super
hustlerNegotiator
But they do not forgive you if you don't honor your words..What are my
attorney said
Dealing with Tom Martin Is like dealing with God lol
When I was negotiating with Universal Studios Buyers I had done give me
boy scouts honor that they would pay me in 30 days They said look we're
Universal Studios you'll get paid ..They have actually paid me But my 30
days terms became 90 days for them Which can cripple a small business
Because most vendors will log you 30 days terms You have to pay
yourEmployees weekly
Let's talk employees for a minute I would tell you to get a good tax
accountant Is you will have to be set up
With Worker's Compensation And issuing paychecks
For my manufacturing I hired a temporary service Who would pay the
employees And handle all the taxes
so for like dollars an hour You're basically buying your employees
wholesale And paying a net cost
Is they're basically the employer Having cut employees With each getting
about $400A week
That's $4000Payroll Times four weeks Or $16,000 A month That's a lot of
work for an accountant bookkeeper
Or a owner operator Of a business
I would typically have works in the store Who handled my retail shop in
my mail orders over the phone
You have bank fees For credit card terminals,Fax machine is going off
And then someone to package The mail orders
Again I would tell my Employees Customer service is paramount at the
Hollywood dream factory®
Treat each customer like you were sending them a Christmas gift I will
never yell at you for using too much packing materials
I had a system Of taping covering up mailing labels Wrapping the posters
In I'd always include a little extra freebie
Like whatI discovered in 1980 A closedown drive-in movie theater
But still had thousands of unused templatesGoing back to the 50s
So I would include Lagniappe In each order to thank the customer
Sometimes I would give up Poster A Postcard A little extra to show
respect for the customers order
Is no matter how expensive the items were To that customer
It was very important And I agree
I feeling was We were in investing into our company
Goodwill,Integrity,Honesty
Good prices And that there order regardless of how much we got paidIt
was a on herTo have their business
So slowly We kept building and building It's amazing customersWe're
like family
I'd say don't be doing this Because you have to
Because it's an honor to be able to serve others
And we are the ones ones getting the opportunity
When we made mistakes..Which we did I would always try to make it
rightBy compensating the customer
Placing the product We're giving a little extra to make it right
Sometimes customers Actually took advantage of me
I did not tell the truth When got a few years back
Told me some toy monsters Had been broken and shipping
I gave him credit back And was puzzled Because I knew how good I shipped
things
He said no you messed up on this He did it twice it was for an eBay sale
I've never sold these models before They were universal monsters little
small figures made of plastic
When I bought the collection They came would OriginalOperating
instructions
Which is fall into the bottom of the box,Shit I didn't mind replacing or
giving the guy back money
But it was right when my eyes had surgery From over 7 to 10 surgeries
iPad
So I was ashamed As I thought I'd lost my ability to see correctly to
packing order I thought maybe it's time to give up the ship,,One figures
he mansion was bride of Frankenstein He said her arms are broken off
Well the instructions clearly showed She wish up with the arms detach
And the customer would put them in as they were packs that would plug
into the finger
I was so elated,But I didn't contact the buyer Ask for my money back
Cause my lesson was It's not what the customer does to you But how do
you handle it and how you treat down
I aired on the side of caution He was a advanced collector so I believe
he knew the truth
My post office lady is to say Why do you repair your clocks for free???
As even though my cocks are over 30 years old And only had a six year
warranty I've had a Tradition If they ever fail
I just ask them to pay the shipping back and forth That repair them for
free
There's a method to my madness John Sears and alva Roebucks First
product in their
Business Was a pocket watch farmers would time there trains with a Seres
pocket watch
Alva By the way Went time to start the Motiograph movie projector
company of pro 35mm projectors
Anyways a farmer dropped his pocket watch In the glass bazzel Shattered
Serious bent over picked up the watch Said sir I'll have it back to you
in the morning You repaired it free
It started the tradition of sears guaranteeing the products
So customers kept asking him to add things because they trusted them in
the goodwill of the company
After a hedge fund investor bought the companyYears back and acquired
Other companies
The hedge fund investor Dropped customer service Repairs Parts and
supplies
As I was a customer myself of craftsmen Products So this type and
companyIt's lost its focus
Sold off many of its divisions Like Kmart's
So I tell young people Treat everyone like they are your relative
And how you would like someone to treat your grandmother,Your
nephew,Your mom
Is what are the most important parts of the business
This individual care,, Recent companies In customer service departments
all over the world
Agreed with me And always are thanking me When I tell them my stories
How I got large orders by just taking care Of people
As they pass the word amongst themselves That's how you get referrals
If you lose your integrity and quality
You can also lose your customers In the goodwill that's taken you many
years to Bill
Which is why I have defended my federal trademark
Against a company out of China
As they were not even honest with me Or the US patent office
And bootlegged me Infringing my name.I assumeConfuse the buying public
and customers of the source of the goods
So another thing I would tell young people If you have a trademark
First get a good trademark patent attorney To ensure thatThe mark is not
confusingly similar to any other
Register your name with the state you live inIt's day of use Because how
works is the first one to use gain the rights.It takes six years to be
ruled incontestable
I first registered dream factory And both Hollywood dream factory and
the state of Ohio Secretary of State back in the 80s I done and filed a
federal registration which covers the entire United States
I was challenged in 1993 by another dream factory In Chicago and
Connecticut
A federal judge stopped them And they had to pay My legal costsAnd a
settlement
Protecting your trademarkIs costly
In most patent attorneys will not work on contingency
So I bought her thousand dollars worth of law books On trademarks
And Why was waiting for the paint to dry on my clipboards would read up
on trademark law
I also Have had a design patent on my movie reel'clock And was infringed
in Canada
By the famous players theater chain Which was a sister company of
Paramount pictures
So I had the higher Canadian attorney To go after them For like $3000
Even though they probably only sold $1000 worth of clock But unless you
enforce your rights Just as this trying to firm has tried
To Still my trademark They've run the same risk of losing dirt nameIf
gotten illegally
Because they challenged my trademark in 2018 Saying that I was no longer
in business and did not sell movie memorabiliaAt all, It's true I have
had lower sales For many years but I've never been out of business or
stop selling anything..I just had several severe surgeries Starting
about 2013 with my foot
My eyes,Four heart stents,A divorce,I had a personal chapter 13 we are
re organization In the 1993 trademark lawsuit
Put a lot of strain on my personal family life,My help
My finances,My family And on my companies History Where customers were
confused
Of Who the dream factory® in Hollywood dream factory®
So is Mel Blanc told me in 1976 When I asked him if I could be honest
and staying show business
He said yes you Can Tom..Just remember There're some guys And there is
some not so big guys
And there're some not so good guys... Try your best to network with the
good guys
Is They will be your foundation
Develop friendships as much as possible
With like-minded people.. Looks of kindnessCharity
That will be your support network
Some people make mistakesCan be read
So I always believe in giving people another chance
Because we all And improve
I tell the story How are you learn customer service
In the 80s Was the father and his two daughters came in my shop
Are we selling Rock'n roll T-shirts Two for $5 They were poor quality
imports from Pakistan hundred percent cotton
Unlicensed T-shirts With rock bands and Michael Jackson on
The little girls came to my counter and had a red shirt
In because I was young And stupid and didn't understand customer service
I said how do I know you didn't rivet
The father's face was beet red.. The two little girls Had welled up
tears in their eyes
They've walked out Rejected, Hurt and the father was so angry He looked
like he was six going to explode
My lesson was First I should've told him to keep the damage shirt uses
dust rags
Given them to fresh brand-new T-shirts
Apologize for the inconvenience
And offer them Credit on their next purchase or giving them some free
goodsFor them having to come back and deal with all this,,But that's how
I learned to do excellent customer service
Because I made mistakes I questioned my customersWhen it was really my
fault
The customer is always right
Because even if they rip you off
It's not about them it's about you
When you serve others And
You will not believe
You know that they are not a number
But a living breathingPerson May just be trying to buy a birthday gift
for friendFor family member or Christmas items
So I got to know my customers on a personal name basis
And I still have the box of index cards
In the book of Want lists.. Of items that people were looking for
I would personally call them on the phone and say
Hey I just got in some more material on Greta Garbo Or whoever the
artist was that they wanted material
At first it was just Couple hundred people But eventuallyIt was
thousands
I get emails Letters from people who about my products
And I love when they tell the story of how it affected Your familyOr was
a memorable item
Given as a gift for her birthday, A wedding , Is school graduation
Some people had my clocks hanging on the wall For like 30 years
I get a warm fuzzy feeling When I brought happiness in the world
So I tell people I Want to start a movie memorabilia business
Do what you love Be kind to everyone,Be thankful and grateful
No matter how small a sale..As you were investing into your future
And one tiny sale can lead to a bigger sale
Don't be focused on profit margins As we went son and we loose some
But if you focus on making people happy
You live modestly and pay your bills In honor your deals with everyone
Even when you make mistakes Look at it as practice
Or as Adam West told me When I was selling his book
For 29.95 And I had poor sales My ex-wife was saying why you keep
working on this and not giving up
We're spending more in advertising then you're selling books
I was taking out for color pages In baby boomer Magazine
Wondering why they weren't selling.
I said to Adam I am not worthy to sell your book Adam I don't know what
I'm doing I'm feeling
Adam who is on the phone Says to me don't give up Tom,What you have to
remember is nobody knows nothing
We're all just guessing Sometimes when sometimes we don't
As for your wife Tell her you're exercising.
Is in my opinion All leaders Of businesses
Are really chaos management experts
Because anyone can be well-funded Have to go good and good times
But my mentors in the business Have mostly been people who have learned
to adapt
In the hardest of times With financial issues
Personal issues,Legal issues,Marital problems,Health problems
Finding that their suppliers are now out of business
As we're all tethered togetherIn this world
I a very fine thread
In 2007 I just bought a new house And the phone rang
They said this is Arnold Schwarzenegger's office
He was governor at the time I said right and I'm Mickey Mouse
They said we would like to order your clapboards to give out to the
governors
It was a well-timed unexpected order They just came out of nowhere
I am no genius,And most of what I'm telling you Baffles me
Because I was kicked out of school at age 15 for drawing a picture of
Led ZeppelinExpel
I never met my father Who was a US Marine Sgt.In Korea
And later married a woman in named her son Tom
Eddie told me we decided to leave it like it does when I asked to meet
him
My half-brother is a very very successful Venture capitalist
We've never met
But I'm Christmas eveOf 1993 Edward Lowe Of the Edward Lowe foundation
Phoned me and Said son Don't let these guys ride Rough shod on YPU..
It was the inventor of kitty litter® And also owned the brand tidy cat®
Hey multibillionaire
He spent most of his life helping entrepreneurs Donating toLarge college
funds
In teaching Ethics Oh how to run small businesses
Is buddy Bernie Cousino,,Was also the inventorFrom Toledo
But we recided in Fort Myers Florida You invented the tape used in the
black box for airplanes
Help with all the animaTronics for the Walt Disney Company//Bernie was
bootlegged on the Teddy Ruxpin
doll.. It was also part of the Thomas Edison Institute in Fort Myers
Florida
It was like 94 Took the time to call me on Christmas Eve With ED
To encourage me not to give up Get paid off Federal judge John Potter
Ordered the company to stop using my name
Or face contempt charges
My message to all you Both a newbie Or businesses that have been
around43 years like name
Simple..Life's instructions are printed on a typical shampoo bottle
Lather rinse, Repeat if necessary
It's all life's struggles Can be dealt with
Simple thing call love Respect And Telling the truth
Even when we're kind of quirky, Like me
Your story will be Your truth
I've made so many mistakes But that's how I've learned
Be a chaos management expert
One of my favorite lines Is from It's a wonderful life at the end of the
movie
The Tom Sawyer book flips over A page
And says no man is a failure who has friends
That's been the only thing that kept me going
Jerry Weintraub Send the same thing at the end of his book
You dead karate kid an old god In oceans movies
But lost his fortuneOf a movie studio At the end of his life
This man had promoted Frank Sinatra, Elvis Pressley, Led Zeppelin
All those huge concerts at Madison Square Garden
Did multimillion dollar movies
That was the son of a BronxNew York jeweler
Summary was God family and friends Will carry you through all the hard
times
I agree with him hundred percent And all my teachers like Arnold ,Mel,
Adam
And many others Have all told me the same thing
I didn't earn Or deserve , Any of the breaks I've received
In most look at me now And say what a unsuccessful idiot
As my balance sheet Is not big
But even though I was blind For a month
I was able to with the help of my cousin Pay my bills on the phone
Filed by Ohio sales taxes on the phone And even managed to have
shippedUpholstererPrior to my surgery
So I'm very thankful And if I can help anybodyHas concerns about their
business
With all this crazy stuff going on in the world right now
I would be honored to help you in anyway I can
To pay it forward for others So they can get the dream as I have
For 43 years... All the best
Love and peace Help happiness and success to all
Thank you for letting me be part of this Group of fine people
It is my hope that I will be able to continue working with all of you
And do some cool stuff Saving motion picture memorabilia
And Sharing it with generations to come
----
Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
___________________________________________________________________
How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List
Send a message addressed to: [email protected]
In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L
The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
